You say I am beautiful

Yesterday on my blog I share across several weight loss pages, I had talked about my thoughts on random compliments I received from strangers. These compliments did not come when I was prepped and ready for viewing, but rather early in the morning, on the way down the shore, no make up, the sleep just wiped out of my eyes and sporting bed head.

So let me back up a moment.. my day started as it does every day with my quiet moments along with my bible app. The quote of the day 2 Corinthians 1:16 “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” Those words were resonating with me as hubby and I packed up the car and stopped at the Wawa for coffee. I was breathing them in and felt this sense of peace and joy and I was smiling, big smiling I could feel it… when we went to pay, the woman behind the counter, behind the mask, complimented my hair color and told me how much she loved it. I smiled from behind my mask and thanked her. We arrived at the beach and headed to the boardwalk area. As I stood waiting, apart from people, mask in hand – just in case, I had this big smile on my face as I gazed out over the ocean and breathed it all in. Then two girls jogged by and I heard the words “You are beautiful” from one and then “Your hair is gorgeous” from the other and they proceeded to talk about the color of my hair and how much they loved it to each other as they jogged away. Totally taken aback, I thanked them as I thought to myself – beautiful? I look awful?

When we got on the sand, I began to gather my thoughts to write my blog and of course this was the topic that was front and center in my mind. I then decided to take a selfie of myself to pair with my words.

Well the wind was blowing and my hair was covering part of my face, my eyes were squinty from the sun and my smile looked as it I were in pain or something, definitely not Hollywood beautiful standards for sure.. . for a moment I thought about deleting it and trying for a better one, but that would mean that my beauty was my appearance and I did not learn anything from the words I had read earlier. Strangers saw my beauty yesterday even when I wasn’t seeing it.. because You say I am beautiful and I believe you.